* Hannah Meisel…
“The safety and wellbeing of employees is the top priority for the Illinois Department of Central Management Services,” spokesperson Marjani Williams said. “CMS is currently working to update the State’s Work from Home policy to ensure that all State agency functions continue working seamlessly in the event that employees can no longer report to their normal work facility.”
The Pritzker administration has been negotiating with AFSCME Council 31, which represents approximately 80,000 state workers in Illinois, regarding the state’s policies surrounding working from home and other COVID-19 responses. But asked about the status of such negotiations Wednesday, Pritzker was brief.
“We’ve had conversations with them and they’re ongoing,” the governor said.
A spokesperson for AFSCME did not return an email or call requesting comment on Wednesday.
Another large state agency — the Department of Human Services — told The Daily Line that the agency already has policies in place for working from home.
“We have a flexible work schedule, telework and sick leave policies,” DHS spokesperson Meghan Powerssaid. “We’re currently consulting with the Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Central Management Services and having discussions with our public employee unions to determine if we will need to modify them in light of COVID-19.”
The feedback I’ve been receiving from state workers about their agencies has not been great. And AFSCME doesn’t even have any COVID-19 information on its website.
Your own experiences so far?
…Adding… AFSCME has now posted a COVID-19 information page. Click here.
*** UPDATE *** Anders Lindall at AFSCME…
I saw your post and wanted to add some context to all we have been doing on this issue. In addition to meeting with state agencies and CMS, we have been in discussions—dating back more than a month, in some cases—with the 200+ other employers of AFSCME members (cities, counties, school districts, universities, not-for-profit agencies and more) throughout Illinois. We have been working to develop policies that protect employees—whether they deal with the public, work in offices, the field or in 24/7 facilities such as veterans’ homes or nursing homes, residential programs for people with disabilities, prisons or jails—as well as those they serve. Obviously these needs are wide-ranging and this issue is fast-moving. At the same time we’ve made sure that local union leaders of our nearly 300 AFSCME local unions have up-to-date information, drawing on the best resources from our national union, and used social media, email and, as you noted today, our website to keep our rank-and-file membership informed.
- Captain Who - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:11 pm:
Crickets so far.
- Sangamo Girl - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:11 pm:
We are small and many of our employees have tablets and cell phones. Many of us could work remotely if need be. DoIT is the stumbling block as our connectivity to the network can be . . . problematic.
- Unionman - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:13 pm:
Nothing about formal work form home policies. Only an e-mail about hygiene and a reminder about the existing sick leave policy.
Most state employees could easily work from home without coming in. The problem is that most state agencies do not have the IT infrastructure in place already to provide for remote access to internal database systems. Most agencies do not have enough laptops to issue to employees to allow for the most secure method of remote access.
- MakePoliticsCoolAgain - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:15 pm:
-DoIT is the stumbling block-
Agreed. As a member of management and essential personnel, I can’t get DoIT to add the necessary software (which they add remotely) to be able to work from home.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:20 pm:
This week, our school district superintendent has posted COVID-19 info with links, including updates like yesterday’s news of positive test in Lake County. This info is also sent out to parents.
- Glengarry - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:23 pm:
It’s been a nightmare trying to get a solid answer. Do better Agencies and AFSCME.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:24 pm:
There’s not much time to act. An agreement needs to be reached quickly.
- thoughts matter - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:25 pm:
Working from home has never been an option for me. Even the few who have the needed software etc. are only allowed to use it for situations such as evening and weekend needs.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:25 pm:
Let’s not forget all the folks on campaigns.
- thunderspirit - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:26 pm:
Crickets until today, then an email that was very much “we’re planning to wait and see what happens.”
- Fixer - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:32 pm:
From DHS we’ve been told to not email the director’s office and follow chain of command as DHS is meeting with CMS and AFSCME regarding the situation. The statement regarding existing sick leave is, frankly, insulting if that’s the best they can come up with. Do better.
- Anon - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:33 pm:
My former agency has no ability to do anything remote other than view/send email.
- Anon - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:35 pm:
IL Courts put this up: https://courts.illinois.gov/Administrative/covid/031120.pdf
A good number of court staff can very easily work from home. But so far no calls have been put out to do so. Meanwhile there are already a number of people sick with something in my building which is frustrating.
- jimbo26 - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:38 pm:
There is a provision for an alternative work schedule known as 4 day 9 day so workers who are in buildings work longer days to make up for a shorter work week in total. This would mean fewer workers in the buiding and still the same amount of hours worked. HFS has been slow to implement this. It has been in the contract for years.
- Dean - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:42 pm:
Would anyone know if Secretary of State is preparing for staff to work remotely or has the means to accommodate such a task ?
- Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:42 pm:
Maybe. Just maybe we can find the proverbial silver lining out of this tragedy. Maybe we can track this online college education to see if it’s as effective as in class learning. Think about the effect on the climate, reduce the need to spend more on capitol improvements. Not trying to be snarky. Just trying to be optimistic.
- Beenie Weenie - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:47 pm:
I believe this is called reaping what you sow with this silly union work rules.
- AlfondoGonz - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:47 pm:
Cook County State Attorney first tip:
Get a flu shot. I’m serious. SMH.
- Dhs worker - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:56 pm:
The state needs to sanitize the workplaces. Give employees masks and hand sanitizer and go to 3 shifts so that no more than 1/3 of the employees will be in the building at any given time. So far the actions from DHS and State Gov. Is pathetic. They just don’t care about their employees. I call off sick today because 4 people in my unit of 13 people were sick. They were not sent home either. I don’t even want to return to that virus infected place.
- Captain Who - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:57 pm:
Some agencies can’t work from home like corrections officers and people that work at state mental health facilities. I’d guess the same with some Revenue Employees because they work with federal tax data.
- ImHere - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 12:59 pm:
Its been slow. Way too slow. Anyone who can work remotely should be doing so by Monday, anything less is a failure. All the companies that are good at math starting remote work a couple weeks ago. All govts have been way behind the curve here. They really need to keep all these people off the L and commuter trains and keep them in their homes.
Anyone who’s job depends on access to facilities (DOIT,DOC) or being on the road (ISP, DOT) needs to be temp scanned before and after shift and trained in hygiene and distancing rules. They also need to go skeleton crew in facilities as much as possible in order to minimize the amount of people in close proximity. And continual and thorough cleaning of facilities in use.
And SOS really should close the DMV facilities both to prevent spread and to send a message to every community in the state that they need to change routines until this is understood and under control.
- State of DenIL - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:10 pm:
The response has been nothing. We have hundreds upon hundreds of “vulnerable population” members including the elderly and disabled in our offices every day. We’ve been advised to wash our hands. Talking is cheap, actions are difficult. What you have been hearing remains the reality on the ground.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:11 pm:
===Get a flu shot. I’m serious. SMH. ===
That’s actually sound advice. You don’t want to wind up in an overcrowded hospital with COVID-19 patients.
So, got get a shot and stop shaking your head.
- AC - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:15 pm:
No guidance, no direction, other than general guidelines regarding hand-washing, regarding anything impacting work. Meetings. training, site visits, inspections, etc. have not been addressed. The only impacts have been from organizations outside the state who have provided guidance to their employees. State employees have no idea what the should and shouldn’t be doing.
- Mr Magoo - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:17 pm:
The director of IDPH noting that she had no concerns about air circulation at The JRTC because it has windows, despite the fact that none of those windows open, does not inspire confidence.
IDPH is going far beyond CDC recommendations in cancelling the parade which makes sense, but hiding behind CDC guidelines when it comes to state employees which is total nonsense, and every employee at IDPH knows it.
- Bobby DoIT - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:24 pm:
The private sector has been using “work-from-home” policies for years. DoIT is having a horrible time attempting to hire new employees largely in part due to a lack of flexibility of options to work from home. I personally would take a pay cut to work from home and sign on the dotted line tomorrow.
- ~pfft - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:26 pm:
If anyone has the capability to work remotely it’s here at DoIT. But it’s supremley frowned upon - they want us at our desks like Bob Cratchit.
- Al - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:28 pm:
Was in the Transportation building on Dirksen yesterday. They were having visitors signing in to mark whether than had recently been in an out break area or having a fever.
- BilboSwaggins - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:36 pm:
I’ve been coming up with my own plans for our staff to work remotely if and when an order to close our doors comes down, but we’ve not heard anything from higher up.
I just want to have a plan in place in case something happens, because so far for places that are closing or getting cancellations, the fallback is piecemeal and chaotic.
- Ed Equity - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:38 pm:
My wife is an ER physician. Not for lack of tests, but due to a mandate from IDPH, they are not allowed to test patients for symptoms unless their travel history warrants it. They also need to test for flu first. Seems like we are missing a lot of cases if we restrict tests for this protocol. Prevention means finding them all fast and better understanding the numerator. Current numerator is way too low. Time for IDPH to up their game.
- ImHere - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:38 pm:
–visitors signing in–
The appropriate thing to do is ban visitors from the building. Require teleconference or video conference meetings.
All of these half-measures signal a lack of seriousness.
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:43 pm:
Beenie Weenie
==I believe this is called reaping what you sow with this silly union work rules.==
In many cases the =silly union work rules= were put in place during that bygone era before the Rutan ruling. You know, to protect rank and file workers from patronage shenanigans.
- Doris - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:46 pm:
The Gov. talked about taking care of the vulnerable population, except nothing is being said about State employees vulnerable population that have no sick time or vacation time accumulated. Being the Governor, he should have some say regarding the situation. Are those employees going to be fired or penalized if they take leave without pay over a week? Not being paid is bad enough.
- Rasselas - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:46 pm:
The State has been receiving and spending millions in emergency preparedness money since 9/11. Run dozens of drills. You would think that the prototypal disaster the state would have thought through six ways to Sunday would be a viral pandemic. There should have been manuals developed and scenario plans for exactly this situation. (Same at the Federal level, by the way.)
It is just crazy that all of this seems to rolling out ad hoc, with so little institutional infrastructure in place.
- Rasselas - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:54 pm:
In my experience federal Homeland Security $$ is heavily oriented towards terrorism - prevention of, dealing with, and remediating the effects thereof.
- JSS - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:54 pm:
IDPH Employee here, no real guidance has been given to rank and file staff, only wash your hands and stay home if sick. No plans have been conveyed to us regarding what happens if the building is closed.
I’m also aware of key staff that should be involved in the reponse to COVID-19 going on vacation next week, which frankly baffles me.
My personal concern is what happens if my kid’s school closes and I need to stay home to watch her? Unpaid leave/vacation time seems ridiculous since I can do my job from home, but I’ve heard zero talk about providing staff remote access from home to their work PCs.
All in all, my feedback would be a bunch of banned words strung together creatively.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:56 pm:
My wife is an ER physician. Not for lack of tests, but due to a mandate from IDPH
Hospitals can’t test for covid-19 because they don’t have the covid-19 test kits. The only labs doing that testing are the three IDPH labs. That’s been the subject of every briefing to date. IDPH is limiting its testing because it has a very limited supply of test kits from the feds.
- Almost Retired - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:59 pm:
My Agency office has instituted it’s own Coronavirus combat strategy effective today. A couple of bottles of rubbing alcohol that you spray on stuff after the streams of elderly and infirm clients walk into an office that is NEVER officially cleaned or vacuumed. Oh and they are being rationed because the actual employees have to buy and donate the rubbing alcohol…
So if you’re wondering where ground zero for this pandemic will be look no further than your local DHS office.
- Hypocrisy - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:04 pm:
IDPH leadership isn’t talking to staff. No guidance (except to wash hands). We aren’t allowed to work from home, yet the Department tells others to work from home. Unless you are working on Coronavirus, you don’t know what is going on. I am hearing about more resignations and early retirements. Everyone is just fed up.
- Fixer - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
Almost Retired, for what it’s worth your office is a few steps ahead of ours it sounds like.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:09 pm:
So I’m on the front line with the poor, disabled and elderly. I’m a caseworker at a Family Community Resource Center.
Masks and gloves and disinfectant will be in any day. In the meantime, some caseworkers are already doing what they can.
We’re positive and committed.
The frontline of need will hold.
Folks here know we can’t do a lot of this remotely
come on
East St.Louis
Folks don’t have computer access
Somebody has got to see customers.
So it’s kinda like being in a hospital
Take all the precautions you can.
Hope that we get through it okay.
But we’re gonna hold the line.
Our good people here need us.
We won’t abandon them.
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:09 pm:
I work for a Division under DHS and could easily work from home; especially for a few weeks. I would have to use my personal cell for work-related calls but no big deal. Telework has been suggested by front line staff since the early 2000s but the State continues to operate under the belief that employees must work from somewhere other than their homes for it to count as work. They worry about accountability.
- Empoyee #34899 - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:13 pm:
Received notice that state employees in northern Illinois cannot travel to Springfield (not sure about elsewhere). This is all I have heard besides washing and sanitizing hands and work areas. I just wish I knew if we needed to prepare to work from home in the next week or longer. Some preparedness would be very beneficial.
- Ed Equity - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:15 pm:
–The only labs doing that testing are the three IDPH labs.–
Well they aren’t allowed to use those labs for cover 19 testing unless patients have travel flags and have tested negative for the flu. If you have test kits but are rationing them, it is the wrong strategy for those with symptoms. She believes cases are being missed. Her ER colleagues believe the same. Use the kits you have to find people who are symptomatic and let physicians make decisions. The protocol seems out of alignment with the front line.
- Rasselas - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:15 pm:
Not sure who used my handle to reply to me at 1:54 pm, but in the health area, the preparedness money was definitely used to drill on pandemics or similar disasters.
Part of the problem was the planning always involved assuming away problems, in part due to budgetary issues. Need off-site locations - make them up. Need work-from-home policies - assume them up. Need union buy-in - assume it will come. Need supplies - assume money will flow. Etc. The political sphere just isn’t equipped to spend money today for tomorrow’s problems. It is better suited to spending tomorrow’s money today to ‘buy’ votes.
- Politix - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:17 pm:
We’ve received basic info. Admin seems to be planning in the event of closure. They put out a survey on tech readiness to work from home (internet access, latest version Microsoft, etc). We also require guests to fill out a short survey on health status prior to receiving agency access.
- Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:17 pm:
Commendable Honeybear. Good luck. It will work out.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:37 pm:
===AFSCME Council 31, which represents approximately 80,000 state workers in Illinois===
Does AFSCME 31 really represent that many employees in their state bargaining unit?
===So it’s kinda like being in a hospital===
Honeybear, the CDC is telling medical professionals they need full PPE including at least an N95 respirator, gloves, full gown, and faceplate.
Don’t let them convince you you’re in a safe work place when they haven’t provided you the right PPE.
- Homer J. Quinn - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:40 pm:
our agency has suspended all travel, exploring work from home options.
- State of DenIL - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 2:55 pm:
There is no reason for the vast amount of exposure taking place in aid offices right now. Most of the issues we are addressing can be handled remotely, much of the work could be(and sometimes is) done remotely.
Cubs in 16 summed up the reasons why.
A lot of it is Federal, of course. We could be waiving interview requirements and doing a whole host of options for limiting exposure to our most vulnerable folks. I expect zero help for public employees and the vulnerable populations we serve from you know who.
- Proud Sucker - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 3:08 pm:
In addition to the personal distance practices previously mentioned, at my local agency, I just implemented a ‘no multiple employees in a truck’ policy. I will mean more vehicles on the road for the next few weeks, but our Administrator and Public Safety folks said it is a good idea.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 3:11 pm:
Ed,
This issue has been addressed literally in every briefing this week and state officials basically agree with you and are angry because the feds keep promising more tests but haven’t delivered. The gov yesterday said they’ve been given thousands but need hundreds of thousands.
- just another state worker - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 3:20 pm:
They just put up new posters in the bathroom asking you to wash your hands with soap. And that’s about it. Heard the higher ups are finally talking about what to do if they have to shut down the FCRCs. We are so not ready.
- Evanston - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 3:41 pm:
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 1:11 pm:
Rich, I get the Flu shot every year in the Fall and this past Fall was no exception. However, I was sick with the Flu b a month ago. You are RIGHT. My doctor said that she would have sent me to th e Hospital if I didn’t get the shot because I was so sick with the shot that she believes I would have been so much worse without it. I was so sick that I couldn’t even get to the Doctor on my own. Too bad they don’t have medicine at the Doctor’s office. Walgreens was another trip that I couldn’t handle and pharmacies are slower and worse then they were ten years ago when they were quick and open 24 hours.
Luckily, my nephew got the medicine because I was out for the count for a week.
Basically, I am considered part of the “Vulnerable” population according to The State so I have been Religiously getting a Flu shot every Fall for at least 40 years as far as I can remember.
- Ed Equity - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 3:51 pm:
Michelle, I understand it is challenging, but seems using the ones we have more strategically falls on local admin, not federal. Doctors are frustrated that their judgement is over ridden by bureaucrats far from the front line.
- The dude - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 3:51 pm:
Were all screwed. I’m federally funded state employee and feds told them we had to be able to work remote yet State agency said no. So feds forced the issue. State is living in stone age when it comes to this.
And we already had the software to work remotely. This is what haopens when you hire old school directors (with old mentalities)
- Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 4:05 pm:
My son the doctor told me last night the ER was swamped with people coughing and flu like symptoms. Is there a process that determines bronchitis fairly rapidly. He was composed and quite frankly didnt seem overwhelmed.
- Donnie - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 4:10 pm:
managers won’t want staff to work at home if you work at home, you don’t need as managers
- Yep - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 4:41 pm:
Management will ask for accountability measures in exchange for remote work. AFSCME will say no and nothing on that front will happen.
- revvedup - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 5:28 pm:
For State employees trying to work from home, and not having Office, LibreOffice is available FREE for Windows, Mac, and Linux users. It can read and write docx, doc, xlsx, xls, and many other formats. You can also try FreeOffice for file compatibility.
- Southern - Thursday, Mar 12, 20 @ 6:14 pm:
State employees trying to work from home, and not having Office, LibreOffice is available FREE for Windows, Mac, and Linux users. It can read and write docx, doc, xlsx, xls, and many other formats. You can also try FreeOffice for file compatibility.
Good advice, but that isn’t the issue. CMS and DoIT are the roadblocks in the way of state employees working from home. It limits their ability to micromanage.